Wednesday, September 1, 2010

First/Last-Matt Ceraso & Josh Kretzmer-Ticket Giveaway

First off, courtesy of the band, I have two tickets to give away for their show this weekend with local heroes Meeting Of Important People and All Tiny Creatures from WI at Brillobox. To enter, email me at hughshows@comcast.net with the subject line 'Mariage Blanc' and the name for the folks at will call the night of the show good for two passes. The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted by Saturday afternoon. Good luck.
Songwriters Matt and Josh sing and play guitar in the band and were kind enough to participate in the continuing week-long celebration of a little number I like to call First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
Matt: If memory serves correct I believe it was 1,039 / Smoothed Out
Slappy Hours by Green Day
Josh: Full length album kind of slips my mind - I know the first CD I
ever purchased was the Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit" single. I had
a taped copy of Nevermind, but wanted to hear the b-side "Even In His
Youth".

Your last album bought?
Matt: The Suburbs by Arcade Fire. Great record.
Josh: A bit fuzzy, but I'm guessing it was also The Suburbs by Arcade Fire.

Favorite album of all time?
Matt: This is an impossible question to answer, there are too many
albums I love.
Josh: I don't know how anyone can answer this. I've got "XO" tattooed
on my left wrist, so let's just go with that.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?

Matt: Not sure about least favorite, but I remember in 7th or 8th
grade I bought Sean Lennon's "Into the Sun" and was completely let
down because it didn't sound like The Beatles. "Friendly Fire" was
pretty decent though so he and I are square now.
Josh: Every Weezer album after Pinkerton.

First concert attended?

Matt: No Doubt, strangely enough. I was young, don't judge me.
Josh: David Bowie with Nine Inch Nails at (what was then called) Starlake Ampitheather in 1995(?) - with my mom.

Last concert?
Matt: Last local concert was Harlan Twins at Gooskis. Last big
concert was St. Vincent in February. I would also love to catch The
National this month at CarnegieMusic Hall.
Josh: Harlan Twins at Gooskis - they did a great cover of Pavement's
"Range Life".

Favorite concert ever?

Matt: Probably either that St. Vincent show or Built to Spill in
2006. They were both really fun shows.
Josh: My Bloody Valentine at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago - or -
St. Vincent at Diesel.

Least favorite concert?
Matt: Aerosmith in 2002. My sister got free tickets for some reason
and I had nothing better to do (although looking back on it, that

seems debatable now). The only perk of this show was that Run DMC
opened and I got to see Jam-Master Jay perform. He was murdered about
two months later, sadly.
Josh: No fault of the band, but the Old 97s at the park in Oakland was a drag. That's the type of band I want to see at a bar, couple
whiskeys deep - not at a park with children.

Favorite thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?

Matt: Pittsburgh has been very good to us as a band. There's a nice
scene going on now where pretty much all the bands know each other,
and most of them are friends with each other as well. Bands make an
effort to go out to other people's shows and support the local scene,
which is really great to see. I don't really have anything negative
to say about Pittsburgh at all, I've been having a blast.
Josh: Pittsburgh is great. I grew up here, so every now and again I
get an urge to pack my bags, but I definitely could not afford to have
what I have here, elsewhere.

Thanks fellas. Bummed I missed that St. Vincent show at Diesel this year. She was fantastic at The Warhol in 2008. Also, it's funny you mention XO Josh. I am on a HARD Elliott Smith kick as of late.